Unbiased crop management advice

Tag Archives: ergot

Post navigation

Originally published August 11, 2014 & Updated July 2016

In touring MCVET trials over the past few weeks, I have come across ergot in a number of fall rye trials.

What is Ergot? Ergot infects many cereals and grasses, including, in order of decreasing susceptibility, rye, triticale, wheat and barley. Oats are rarely affected. Ergot symptoms become evident during kernel formation, when ergot bodies are formed in place of kernels. The ergot bodies, also called sclerotia, are formed from a hard mass of fungal mycelium. The ergot bodies have a hard protective rind on the outside, which is black to dark purple in colour. They are often elongated and protrude from the glumes of maturing heads (see photo).

Yield reductions are usually slight. However, the ergot bodies contain toxic alkaloids that are poisonous to humans and livestock, which can result in rejection or downgrading of contaminated grain.

Conditions that favour Ergot – Ergot is most prevalent in years when cool, damp weather in late spring and early summer favour ergot germination and prolong the flowering period of cereals and grasses increasing the opportunity for ergot infection.

What are some options for managing Ergot? Unfortunately, there is not much to control ergot in the field once ergot is found. Prevention is the best management strategy.

Harvesting techniques: Ergot levels are typically higher around the edge of the field so scout fields to determine where ergot development is the worst, such as the headlands, and harvest those areas separately. In some cases, delaying harvest of a standing crop may allow more time for ergot bodies to fall out of the head.

Tillage: For farmers using conventional tillage, burying the crop residue and ergot bodies to a depth of approximately four centimetres can impede their germination the following spring.

Seed cleaning: Ergot bodies are relatively easy to clean from the seed lot, but can be expensive. However, it may be worth the cost to save a grade.

MAFRD staff have been busy doing surveys in cereal fields and MCVET trials over the past several weeks. I have come across ergot in a number of winter wheat and spring wheat fields, as well as the MCVET spring wheat trials.

What is Ergot? Ergot infects many cereals and grasses, including, in order of decreasing susceptibility, rye, triticale, wheat and barley. Oats are rarely affected. Ergot symptoms become evident during kernel formation, when ergot bodies are formed in place of kernels. The ergot bodies, also called sclerotia, are formed from a hard mass of fungal mycelium. The ergot bodies have a hard protective rind on the outside, which is black to dark purple in colour. They are often elongated and protrude from the glumes of maturing heads (see photo below).

Yield reductions are usually slight. However, the ergot bodies contain toxic alkaloids that are poisonous to humans and livestock, which can result in rejection or downgrading of contaminated grain.

Spring Wheat Infected with Ergot. Photo by Pam de Rocquigny, 2014

Conditions that favour Ergot – Ergot is most prevalent in years when cool, damp weather in late spring and early summer favour ergot germination and prolong the flowering period of cereals and grasses increasing the opportunity for ergot infection.

What are some options for managing Ergot? Unfortunately, there is not much to control ergot in the field once ergot is found. Prevention is the best management strategy.

Harvesting techniques: Ergot levels are typically higher around the edge of the field so scout fields to determine where ergot development is the worst, such as the headlands, and harvest those areas separately. In some cases, delaying harvest of a standing crop may allow more time for ergot bodies to fall out of the head.

Tillage: For farmers using conventional tillage, burying the crop residue and ergot bodies to a depth of approximately four centimetres can impede their germination the following spring.

Seed cleaning: Ergot bodies are relatively easy to clean from the seed lot, but can be expensive. However, it may be worth the cost to save a grade.

Post navigation

Reference material

Approximately 84% of the 2019 crop has been seeded. Early seeded fields have emerged and those just seeded are germinating. Rainfall is needed to continue growth and to encourage yield in more advanced fall seeded winter wheat and fall rye. Pasture/hayland also need rain for re-growth and to feed livestock. For the full report see […]

Cool conditions persisted early last week in all of Manitoba. Seeding progress is approximately 50% complete in Manitoba, with some areas having limited seeding (eg. The Pas). Pasture/hayland conditions rated as Fair to Poor in most areas of the province. Rainfall is required in nearly all areas of agro-Manitoba for successful crops and forages. For […]

Cool conditions have slowed field operations in most areas. Seeding progress for spring cereals and peas ranges from 5 to 100% complete. Some areas in Central and Eastern regions complete. Weed emergence and growth is occurring despite cool conditions, with winter annuals dominating, but closely followed by kochia, lamb’s quarters, volunteer canola and foxtail species. […]

Spruce is a common grown shelterbelt tree in Manitoba. They prefer acid soils, that are coarse textured with good drainage, have adequate water and sheltered from extreme weather conditions. If conditions are not ideal, the trees will begin to decline and become more susceptible to pests. If your trees are declining and you are considering using a […]

If malathion is in your shed, it may be time to revisit your inventory. According to a recent advisory issued by Health Canada (http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2017/63150a-eng.php), Malathion products purchased prior to June 2016 should not be used. This advisory applies to all products including agricultural and mosquito control products containing malathion. The advisory was issued because over an […]

Archives

News releases

Did you know you can view the 2017 edition of Seed Manitoba, as well as past editions, on www.seedmb.ca? Well, you can! Flip-view digital editions of the current guide (2017), as well as the six most recent editions, are available at http://www.seedmb.ca/digital-edition/. Also, full PDF versions are available at http://www.seedmb.ca/digital-edition/pdf-editions-and-separate-section-pdfs/ where you can download the entire […]

The Canada and Manitoba governments have provided $250,000 in research funding and $969,000 for equipment to help identify and address problems caused by canola diseases and pests, Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced today. “The canola industry is an important economic driver, and our government […]

Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (MAFRD) jointly conducted a kochia survey across Manitoba in the fall of 2013 in with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Saskatoon Research Centre) and the University of Manitoba, funded by the Western Grains Research Foundation and BASF Canada. Plants from 283 different kochia populations were harvested, thrashed and planted […]